Kenya Holidays

Take to the skies on the Governors' hot air balloon safari, where you’ll watch the sunrise over the Maasai Mara and get an aerial view of African wildlife. You’ll lift off around 6am in time to see the sunrise from the balloon, painting the sky in buttery shades of orange.

At that time of day, the grazing animals are just waking up. Elephants are munching in the forest, hippos are heading back to the river and the trees are filled with birds. It’s particularly busy during the Annual Great Migration when massive herds of wildebeest roam the plains. Governors’ has the best flight path in the region, drifting along the Mara River above beautiful riverine forest where rhinos graze, before ending in the open savannah where you might see giraffe, zebra and lion. Guests love the serenity of the balloon ride and the fantastic opportunities for photography. You’ll also have the chance to drop seedballs from the balloon, as part of a conservation scheme to replant indigenous African olive trees. At the end of the hour-long flight, the balloon will land near a bush breakfast site where tables are set up under trees in the middle of the savannah. Here you’ll enjoy a lavish breakfast spread including eggs, sausages, pancakes, fruit, muesli, and of course Champagne. It’s a laid-back, picnic-style feast where your pilot will share bush stories and explain the history of ballooning in the Mara.

On this tour you’ll meet orphaned elephants at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, visit the Karen Blixen Museum to learn about the Out of Africa author’s extraordinary life in Kenya and get up close to endangered Rothschild's giraffes.

First, you’ll transfer to the Giraffe Centre in the Lang’ata suburb of Nairobi, where the mission is to breed the animals in a safe environment. Created by the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife, the non-profit centre was founded in 1979 when there were just 130 of these beautiful animals left in the wild. The Rothschild's is a subspecies of the giraffe that lives in East Africa’s grasslands. It’s amazing to see the giraffes up close. Afterwards, you can go to the information centre to listen to an educational talk about giraffe conservation and the centre’s work. The staff are highly trained experts, so they can answer any questions you have about the animals.

Next, drive for 20 mins to Nairobi National Park, arriving at the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage to watch the elephants be fed. The elephants know when it’s time to have their milk and come running down into the feeding area. As the keepers feed them, a guide from the trust will introduce you to the individual elephants and tell you their rescue stories. You’ll get to ask questions while the animals play. The trust was set up over 40 years ago by Daphne Sheldrick in memory of her husband David, who was a famous warden and naturalist in Tsavo East National Park. It has developed into the most successful rescue and rehabilitation programme for elephants in the world, with many of the babies released back into the wild in Tsavo after about three years of rehabilitation. Visiting will give you a chance to get up close to the elephants, learn about the wildlife trust’s work and contribute to the conservation of these incredible animals.

From here you’ll transfer for 30-minutes to the Karen Blixen Museum. It is set in the Karen area of Nairobi, which is named after Blixen, on the coffee farm where she once lived. A lot of guests want to visit the museum because they’ve read Out of Africa or seen the movie. Karen put Nairobi and Kenya on the map and was passionate about helping the local community. The museum is a piece of Kenyan history and an amazing tale of how one person survived so many bad things and still had the heart to be kind to those around her. Following the visit, transfer back to your accommodation by private vehicle.

Enjoy aerial views of Mount Kilimanjaro and Amboseli National Park on this sunrise hot-air balloon adventure. After a safety briefing from your pilot, the balloon is inflated just as the early colours of dawn start to break. As the balloon lifts off, you will get a 360-degree view of Amboseli’s diverse landscape of desert, bush and swamplands. Upon landing, the chase team will take you back to their base for a traditional Champagne celebration.

You will be collected from your lodge early morning. It will still be dark when you leave so, as you travel to the launch site, you may see some of Amboseli’s nocturnal creatures such as porcupines.

As the balloon lifts off, Africa’s highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro dominates the skyline. It conveniently blocks bad weather creating ideal wind conditions for flying.

Gently gliding just a few hundred feet above the ground is a magical experience. Aside from the occasional burst of gas from the burner into the balloon, it’s peaceful and tranquil and provides a different perspective to view wildlife. Amboseli is famous for its vast herds of elephants, but you may also see giraffe, zebra, wildebeest and the gerenuk antelope that stands on its hind legs to reach leaves from the trees. You will also get to view some Maasai villages from the air. Upon landing, indulge in a traditional Champagne breakfast of baked goods, fruit and plenty of Kenyan coffee. The whole experience takes about five hours.

Wake up to views of Loisaba conservancy after a night under the stars and then enjoy a private breakfast in the middle of the bush. Guests are often taken to the breakfast site by camel, on horseback or after an early-morning game drive. Guests arrive to a full set-up with an outdoor kitchen, private chef and waiter.

You’ll be greeted with a mimosa and a table laid with colourful fruit platters, granola and pastries, which you can enjoy while the chef whips up your choice of cooked breakfast. Guests really love bush dining because it’s such a unique experience, like a restaurant in the wilderness complete with silverware and a private kitchen. As you eat, you can take in views of the Loisaba landscape and spot animals in the distance.

Take to the skies on a hot-air balloon safari, where you’ll watch the sunrise over the Maasai Mara and get an aerial view of African wildlife. The views over the Mara are just magical, with the chance of seeing large herds of elephants, buffalo, and gazelles from above, as well as giraffes and zebras wandering the plains. When you land the first thing you’ll get is a glass of Champagne before enjoying a hot and cold breakfast spread.

A private balloon safari is available at many of our recommended properties in the Maasai Mara. Starting just before dawn, you’ll enjoy a hot drink while watching the balloon slowly inflate at the launch site. Take off is around 6.00am as the sun rises over the plains, bringing the landscape into colourful life. The aerial views over the Maasai Mara are just magical, with the chance of seeing large herds of elephants, buffalo, and gazelles from above, as well as giraffes and zebras wandering the plains. Guests are amazed by how vast the savannah looks from this elevated angle, it’s a totally different perspective from a game drive in the Maasai Mara.

When you land there will be a table all set up with camp chairs and a tablecloth for the bush breakfast. The first thing you’ll get is a glass of Champagne – who doesn’t want some bubbly in the middle of the Maasai Mara? Then you’ll enjoy a hot and cold breakfast spread. Your pilot will join you to answer questions, share bush stories, and explain the history of ballooning in the Mara.

Take to the skies on a hot-air balloon safari, where you’ll watch the sunrise over the Maasai Mara and get an aerial view of African wildlife. Upon landing you can enjoy a wonderful Champagne breakfast in the bush before either returning back to camp or heading off on a game drive.

Starting just before dawn from Mara Bushtops, you’ll watch the balloon slowly inflate at the launch site. Take off is as the sun rises over the plains, bringing the landscape into colourful life. The aerial views over the Maasai Mara are just magical, with the chance of seeing large herds of elephants, buffalo and gazelles from above, as well as giraffes and zebras wandering the plains. Guests are amazed by how vast the savannah looks from this elevated angle, it’s a totally different perspective from a game drive in the Maasai Mara.

Upon landing you can enjoy a wonderful Champagne breakfast in the bush before either returning back to camp or heading off on a game drive.

Finish off your afternoon game drive with a cold sundowner overlooking the Loisaba Conservancy. For something informal, your guide will simply stop the vehicle in a pretty spot and pull out a cooler of drinks, but for the special sundowner experience, you can expect a full-on bar in the bush. It’s the perfect way to relax after a day of exploring.

The Loisaba Conservancy is like a bowl, with the camp set on the edge of an escarpment overlooking a beautiful valley. There are three different sundowner spots, two of which are on top of the escarpment, so you get a 360-degree view of the sun setting over the landscape. There will be camping chairs and a table set up, plus a range of chilled cocktails and drinks, complete with snacks. There's also a more secluded site by the natural springs, which is shaded with trees, where you can sit and enjoy drinks while watching the sky change colour as the hippos wallow.

Join a Maasai guide from Tawi Lodge for a bush walk in their private conservancy, which borders Amboseli National Park. While exploring the 3,000-acre conservancy, you’ll learn about the native plants and shrubs used by the Maasai community for medicine and to produce natural dyes. Your guide will also help you identify animal footprints and explain everything along the way.

The great thing about a bush walk is that you’re not in a safari vehicle, you’re closer to everything and have time to stop and take in the sights and smells of the bush. You can hear the birds singing, spot insects on the ground and notice tiny details you wouldn’t on a game drive. There’s plenty of wildlife to spot and you’ll be accompanied by security. You’ll learn a lot from the Maasai guide; there’s also a chance to take a cultural visit to the nearby village, where you’ll meet the community and learn more about their ancient culture and traditions.

In this unique dining experience, you’ll get to enjoy breakfast in a wilderness setting with live cooking. Toast a glass of bubbly and feast on dishes prepared by a private chef as you look out over the African savannah and watch wildlife roam the plains. Sunrise breakfasts are particularly popular because you get to see life in the Mara as it wakes and capture stunning photographs.

The night before the trip, you’ll get to choose what time you’d like to have breakfast and they’ll arrange for a vehicle to pick you up from reception. The chef will prepare a hot and cold buffet for you, including cold cuts, cheese and yogurt accompanied by assorted breads and croissants. You can wash it all down with bubbly and fresh juice while watching giraffes, elephants and all kinds of plains game.

Governors’ Camp has a resident photographer who offers specialist photographic safaris for guests. Although the elephants and lions in the Maasai Mara are beautiful to photograph, it's often the wildlife that you don’t often see, the smaller animals like the jackals and servals that provide interesting pictures. 
On the photographic safaris, guests will be given tips on where to take pictures, how to use a 300mm lens to capture the wildlife and how to showcase the differing Mara landscapes.

Every time, there’s something different to photograph, be it lion prides or more unexpected sights like impalas fighting. There's a huge expanse of grassland that goes on for miles, with very little interruption, so a herd of elephants in the distance really stands out against the vast landscape.

What’s special about Governors’ is that it’s located right by the Mara River, which draws all kinds of animals. If you love elephants, you’ll probably be able to sit outside your tent and watch them. You don’t need to drive more than half an hour outside of camp to see everything from buffalo to cheetahs, impala and all types of birds.

Since Governors’ started over 50 years ago, they’ve been working closely with the local communities around their camps, offering support with education, health and jobs. Your stay  helps to fund projects like local schools, health clinics and conservation programmes. You can also offer support directly by visiting the local Mara Rianda community, who live in a manyatta village of circular huts set around a cattle enclosure. You’ll pay an entrance fee which goes to the Maasai people and has a huge impact on their livelihood. There’s also a chance to shop for traditional beadwork made by local women.

What Governors’ is trying to do is really bring the local people in so that everyone benefits and no-one feels left behind. They have built new school classrooms and continue to provide learning materials and pay some of the teachers’ salaries. They offer scholarships for further study and have funded training for local people to become teachers, medical staff or to work in tourism. Around 60 percent of the staff at Governors’ are from the local community.

You can also visit the Mara Rianda medical clinic, which helps treat common problems in the Maasai Mara, like malaria and eye disease. Before the clinic opened, locals had to travel a long way to access any treatment, so the clinic has really changed lives. Women now have safe maternity services and since opening in 2013, the clinic has provided regular immunisations and HIV care. Covid has been a particularly critical time for the community, so regular food drives – often funded by donations from guests overseas – have helped with the crisis.

Protecting the landscape and wildlife in the Maasai Mara is just as important. They support conservation work like the Lion Landscapes Project and also work closely with the Maasai Mara National Reserve to create rules for ethical wildlife viewing on safaris. A big part of conservation work is managing conflict between wild animals and the Maasai cattle. Many indigenous trees are destroyed by high concentrations of elephants in the Mara, so they have tree planting projects that guests can get involved with. You can even drop a seed ball over the Mara while on a balloon safari, which helps to replant native trees.

Walking safaris offer guests a close encounter with animals in their natural habitat, as well as a chance to learn about the local flora and Maasai culture. You’ll be guided by one of the expert camp naturalists and a Maasai warrior, who’ll provide fascinating insights into Kenya’s wildlife and landscape.

The safaris are accompanied by an armed Kenya Wildlife Service Ranger and followed closely by a vehicle. The walk starts directly from Mara Bushtops and takes you through the private conservancy on the edge of the Maasai Mara National Park. There are six different walking routes to choose between, from short leisure walks to more intense trails if you love the thrill of getting up close to animals. You’ll likely see giraffes, as well as herds of zebra, impala and elephants. There have even been occasional sightings of lions.

Along the way, your guides will point out animal markings and droppings, you’ll also get to learn about the various medicinal trees and shrubs that the Maasai community has used for generations. One of the routes takes you to the historic Kakiya Cave, which is part of everyday Maasai tribal life and used for rituals, worship, preparing medicines and initiation ceremonies.

A walking safari offers a totally different vantage point from traditional 4x4 game drives. You get a chance to walk among the Kenyan landscape, surrounded by wildlife in its natural habitat and outside the comfort of your safari vehicle, yet with an experienced team of local guides.

Visit some of the entrepreneurial grandmas who make a living from pig farming in the rural outskirts of Nairobi. In Kenya, grandmothers often carry the burden of looking after their grandchildren and extended families. With no social security and faced with extreme poverty, this is incredibly tough, and many children will abandon the home in search of food. Go Granny Go! was set up to give grandmas a way to earn a sustainable income through farming – this is pivotal in keeping families together.

At around 9.30am, transfer by private vehicle to a Kikuyu village on the outskirts of Nairobi. The visit is led by a guide from the local community who’s also been through one of the programmes. You’ll receive a warm welcome from one of the grandmas, who’ll show you around their homes and small-scale pig farms. Then enjoy a cup of tea and help cook a traditional Kenyan lunch while the women share their inspiring stories with you. There’s often lots of singing and laughter, it’s all about the women's journeys and getting an insight into Kenyan culture. The experience stands out from typical tours because it’s so raw and real, it’s everyday life and you get to visit the grassroots communities that most travellers never see.

When you take the Go Granny Go! tour, you directly contribute to funding the project, so you can give back to the local community while you travel. Following the tour, return to your hotel arriving at around 4.00pm.

On this tour you’ll have the chance to meet orphaned elephants at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. The trust was set up over 40 years ago by Daphne Sheldrick in memory of her husband David, who was a famous warden and naturalist in Tsavo East National Park. It has developed into the most successful rescue and rehabilitation programme for elephants in the world, with many of the babies released back into the wild in Tsavo after about three years of rehabilitation.

At around 10.00am you’ll transfer by private vehicle to Nairobi National Park, arriving at the centre for the 11.00am feeding. The elephants know when it’s time to have their milk and come running down into the feeding area. As the keepers feed them, a guide from the trust will introduce you to the individual elephants and tell you their rescue stories. You’ll get to ask questions while the animals play.

Visiting will give you a chance to get up close to the elephants, learn about the wildlife trust’s work and contribute to the conservation of these incredible animals. As well as helping orphaned elephants and rhinos, the trust works on anti-poaching initiatives, habitat protection and runs mobile vet clinics. Following the visit, return to your hotel.

Visit the Karen Blixen Museum to learn about the Out of Africa author’s extraordinary life in Kenya. The museum is set in the Karen area of Nairobi, which is named after Blixen, on the coffee farm where she once lived. A lot of guests want to visit the museum because they’ve read Out of Africa or seen the movie. They find her story very intriguing – she really put Nairobi and Kenya on the map and was passionate about helping the local community.

You can visit throughout the day between 9.00am and 4.00pm and hotel transfers will be arranged for you. Most guests spend around an hour at the museum. You’ll also get to walk around the property and beautiful grounds, which have a view of the Ngong Hills. It’s fascinating to see some of the old coffee plantation equipment, Karen’s paintings and the study where she used to write.

The museum is a piece of Kenyan history and an amazing tale of how one person survived so many bad things and still had the heart to be kind to those around her. After the visit, you’ll transfer back to your accommodation in Nairobi.

Visit the Giraffe Centre in Nairobi to get up close to endangered Rothschild's giraffes. The centre’s mission is to breed the animals in a safe environment, releasing many into the wild at around three years old, when they can survive on their own. You’ll spend up to an hour at the 60-acre sanctuary in the Lang’ata suburb of Nairobi.

Created by the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife, the non-profit centre was founded in 1979 when there were just 130 of these beautiful animals left in the wild. The Rothschild's is a subspecies of the giraffe that lives in East Africa’s grasslands. The centre’s breeding programme started with just two young calves and now they’ve released over 40 giraffes into national parks and conservancies across Kenya. It’s amazing to see the giraffes up close. Afterwards, you can go to the information centre to listen to an educational talk about giraffe conservation and the centre’s work.

Although you’re likely to see giraffes on safari, you can only get this close and personal with them at the Giraffe Centre – it’s quite an experience. It’s great to know that your visit is helping to protect this endangered species. The centre is open throughout the day, so we can arrange your visit at a time to suit you, with private transfers to and from your accommodation.

Kenya is world famous for its coffee and on this tour of the Fairview Estate. You’ll learn how it’s produced, from bush to cup and enjoy a tasting session where a barista will talk you through around five different grades of coffee and explain which factors affect the flavours.

You will transfer by private vehicle from your hotel to the Fairview Estate, which lies around half an hour from central Nairobi.

Fairview has been producing some of the country’s best coffee since 1909 thanks to its location in Kiambu, the heart of the fertile central highlands, which is fed by the Riara River. The tour begins in the 100-acre plantation, set along the river among beautiful gardens with a waterfall nearby. During peak season, up to 400 workers will be busy pruning, harvesting and sorting the coffee beans.

An expert guide from the estate will explain the entire coffee-making process and answer any questions you might have. The tour culminates with a coffee tasting session. Afterwards there’s a chance to buy your favourite coffee directly from the Fairview shop. Following the tour, return to your hotel by private transfer.

There’s plenty of adrenaline-pumping activities to try near Lake Naivasha, from climbing volcanoes to cycling through geothermal landscapes. If you like to hike, then climbing Mount Longonot, a dormant volcano in the Great Rift Valley is a must.

You’ll leave Loldia House at about 7am with a guide for the two-hour climb, which is slightly shorter on the way down. While it isn’t a difficult trek, you need to be aware of the altitude, which reaches 2,776 metres at the peak, and go slowly. At the summit of Mount Longonot, you can see right into the huge crater rim, which is filled with thick forest. 

Then, sit back with a picnic and take in views of Lake Naivasha and the Great Rift Valley, which is home to herds of buffalo and game, predators and lakes known for their huge flocks of flamingos. It’s a beautiful view and when guests return, they’re always excited to tell me about it. Loldia House also offers a popular day trip to Hell’s Gate National Park, which is special for its geothermal activity, including geysers and bubbling sulphur pools formed by volcanic activity. You’ll get the chance to cycle through this unusual landscape with a naturalist guide, who’ll teach you about the geological features, including the obsidian caves which were formed when molten lava and water collided. Along the way, you’ll spot wildlife such as baboons, vervet monkeys and sometimes even rare colobus monkeys.

Join a Samburu guide for a walking safari in Loisaba Conservancy, where you’ll encounter the local culture, plants and wildlife. The experience usually starts in the morning when it’s cooler and can last between one and four hours, depending on how much guests want to see. You’ll always be accompanied by an armed ranger for safety, as well as a guide from the local Samburu community who knows the area, animals and plants extremely well.

The Loisaba Conservancy is a fantastic landscape, it’s like a bowl with the camp set on an escarpment looking down over the valley. So, on this safari you get to transition through different vegetation zones. It’s a real contrast to a game drive, as you notice smaller things in the bush, from insects to animal dens and habitats. Walking safaris aren’t allowed in many parts of Kenya, so this is an incredible opportunity to get out, stretch your legs and explore with a member of the local community.

Along the way, you might see giraffes, zebras and elephants – even hippos if you pass by the dam. Your guide will investigate insects, animal footprints and explain the different plant species that are used locally. You feel really close to nature and can ask all kinds of questions about the Samburu way of life.

Join a guided bush walk to get up close to Tsavo’s nature and wildlife with a Maasai naturalist. Along the way you will be given a unique insight into the native flora and fauna and taught about the local  culture. The bush walk is completely different from a game drive because you’re on your feet and really immersed in the landscape.

The bush walks take place in the late afternoon and the length is tailored to suit each group’s preference. Guests usually enjoy sundowners afterwards with beautiful views over the plains. During the walk, you’ll stop to learn about the indigenous trees and plants the Maasai people use, often for medicine or to dye their clothes. You'll be helped to identify animal footprints. If it’s rainy season, you’ll also see colourful flowers in bloom.

There’s plenty of wildlife to spot, including crocodiles and hippos by the Sante River. You'll also be accompanied by a security guard. There are often elephants around camp and diverse bird species, including rare water thick-knees.

Don’t miss the chance to see the world’s last two northern white rhinos, as well as black rhinos and rescued chimps at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. Located in Laikipia, the 90,000-acre conservancy was once a working cattle ranch in colonial times and is now a sanctuary for wildlife, including the Big Five. Partly established by the Jane Goodall Institute, Sweetwaters is home to 35 rescue chimps who roam around a 300-acre area by the river, returning to enclosures to feed and sleep.

The Ol Pejeta Conservancy has one of the highest densities of predators in Kenya and offers some of the country’s most exciting game drives. The main draw at Ol Pejeta is definitely the rhinos. As the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa, it offers sightings of these critically endangered animals. When the programme started in 1993, there were just 20 black rhinos in the park and now there are over 140. Ol Pejeta is also home to around 30 southern white rhinos, who, as a species have been brought back from the brink of extinction. In addition, there’s a unique opportunity to see the world’s two remaining northern white rhinos, who live in a 700-acre enclosure that’s guarded around the clock.

Next visit the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary. When the Burundi Rescue Centre had to close in 1993 because of civil war, Ol Pejeta stepped in to save the animals. Chimps aren’t native to Kenya and this is the only place in the country where you’ll see them.